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Hospital Prices Have Risen Much Faster for Private Insurance Than Medicare Since 2019

Hospitals account for nearly one-third of US health spending and 40% of spending growth from 2022-2024. Analysis shows hospital prices paid by private insurers have risen faster than Medicare rates since 2019, a trend with implications for affordability.

Hospital prices paid by private insurers rose 30% from 2019-2026, compared to a 21% increase in Medicare payment rates. The disparate growth widened an existing gap between what Medicare and private plans pay for hospital services.

What Are the Recent Trends in Employer-Based Health Coverage?

Policy Changes Bring Renewed Focus on High-Deductible Health Plans

Health Insurer Financial Performance in 2024

Examining Short-Term Limited-Duration Health Plans

Health Care Affordability

BTD Health Policy in 2026

Health Policy in 2026

President and CEO Dr. Drew Altman forecasts eight things to look for in health policy in 2026. “First and foremost,” he writes, “is the role health care affordability will play in the midterms.” And, he notes: “The average cost of a family policy for employers could approach $30,000 and cost sharing and deductibles will rise again after plateauing for several years.”

View all of Drew’s Beyond the Data Columns

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  • Explaining the 2015 Open Enrollment Period

    Issue Brief

    The brief provides an overview of what consumers can expect during the second annual Open Enrollment period under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which runs from November 15, 2014 through February 15, 2015. It is the second opportunity for uninsured individuals to enroll in private insurance coverage, premium tax credits and cost sharing subsidies and the first time that people newly insured in 2014 can renew their health plan coverage and subsidies. It also overlaps…

  • How Do Quality and Access Compare In Medicare Advantage Versus Traditional Medicare?

    News Release

    Today a record three in 10 Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in Medicare Advantage health plans, mainly HMOs and PPOs, which are paid by the government to provide Medicare benefits to their enrollees. Given the projected rise in Medicare Advantage enrollment, an important question for both consumers and policymakers is how quality and access to care compares for beneficiaries in traditional Medicare versus Medicare Advantage plans. To try to answer this question, the Kaiser Family Foundation…

  • What Do We Know About Health Care Access and Quality in Medicare Advantage Versus the Traditional Medicare Program?

    Report

    As the number of Medicare Advantage enrollees continues to climb, there is growing interest in understanding how the care provided to Medicare beneficiaries in Medicare Advantage plans differs from the care received by beneficiaries in traditional Medicare. This literature review of more than 40 studies synthesizes the evidence to date comparing access and quality for beneficiaries in Medicare Advantage plans and traditional Medicare.

  • Data Note: Gearing Up For Round 2 of Open Enrollment: Some Lessons From Round 1

    Poll Finding

    As the second round of open enrollment approaches, policy makers, journalists, insurers and enrollment groups may want to keep in mind what health insurance shoppers told us about their experiences during the first open enrollment period. This data note examines selected findings from two Kaiser Family Foundation surveys that shed light on how people navigated the new options and choices available under the ACA during last fall’s open enrollment, with the hope of helping to…

  • New Analysis Finds the Affordable Care Act Mentioned in 14% of This Year’s Political Ads

    News Release

    Republican Ads Were Much More Likely to Mention ACA, Often in Spots that Also Hit Other Issues About 14 percent of political ads in all races airing this year through October 15 mention the Affordable Care Act, Obamacare or any of the law's specific provisions, mostly in a negative way, a new Kaiser Family Foundation study finds. Overall, about a quarter (26%) of political spots airing so far this year mention health care issues, including…

  • ACA Advertising in 2014 – Insurance and Political Ads

    Report

    This study analyzes the volume and content of political ads mentioning health care issues that aired in 2014 through Oct. 15, as well as health insurance spots promoting specific insurance products or encouraging enrollment in marketplace plans. It finds that about 14 percent of political ads in all races mention the Affordable Care Act, Obamacare or any of the law's specific provisions, mostly in a negative way.

  • An Update on Coverage for Preventive Services Under the Affordable Care Act

    News Release

    An updated fact sheet from the Kaiser Family Foundation summarizes the latest information on health plan coverage of preventive services under the Affordable Care Act. The fact sheet details the rules that govern when plans are required to cover services without cost-sharing and which services are covered. In addition, the fact sheet summarizes the clarifications issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on coverage for a number of services including: colon cancer…

  • Tax Subsidies for Private Health Insurance

    Issue Brief

    This brief describes the different forms of tax assistance for private health insurance, including subsidies offered through the Affordable Care Act's marketplaces and benefits for people who are self-employed or who have employer-based coverage. The brief also provides examples of how the subsidies work and how the amounts may differ by income and type of coverage.

  • New Analysis Examines Paid Time Off for Working Mothers when Their Children are Sick

    News Release

    For many women, missing work when their children have a cold or upset stomach takes a financial toll on family income. A new data note from the Kaiser Family Foundation reports on the number of working mothers who must take unpaid time off when their children are sick and discusses state and national policies addressing the issue. Balancing on Shaky Ground: Women, Work and Family Health recounts findings from a recent national Kaiser survey, including:…